Screen for fruit-grading machines.



D. R. THROOP.

SCREEN FOR FRUIT GRADING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- B, 1916.

I Attorneys Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

Witnesses DAMON R. THROOP, 0F DAVIS, CALIFORNIA.

SCREEN non FRUIT-GRADING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

I Application filed November 8, 1916. Serial No. 130,190.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAMON R. THROOP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Davis, in the county of Yolo and State of California, haveinvented a new. and useful Screen for F ruit-Grading Machines, ofwhich-the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a metalscreen adapted to be used in fruit grading machines, and it is theobject of the invention to provide a screen of this kind which may bemanufactured readily out of metal stock the construction of the screenbeing such that it will possess great strength and durability.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed, withoutdeparting from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in top plan, a portion of ascreen constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is bottom plan of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the screen, wherein parts are broken away;and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

The device forming the subject matter of this application preferably ismade of metal throughout and includes longitudinal channels 1, the topsof which are denoted by the reference character 2, the channels 1including depending flanges 3. The tops 2 of the channels 1 are equippedwith openings 4. superposed on the tops 2 of the channels 1 are plates5, the ends-of which are in abutment as shown at 6. The plates 5 aresupplied with upstanding lugs 7 the side faces 8 of which convergeasthey extend downwardly. The plates 5 and the lugs-7 are supplied withopenings 9 therethrough, adapted to be alined vertically with thedownwardly converging faces 8 of the lugs I 7. In the tops of thechannels 11, burs 14 are formed. These depending burs 14 fit in therecesses or seats 10 at the upper ends of the openings 9. Bolts 15 passthrough the openings 9 of the lugs 7 and through the openings 4 in thetops 2 of the longitudinal channels 1. The bolts 15 have heads 16received in the burs 14 and lying flush with the upper surfaces'of thetops of the transverse channels 11 The bolts 15, which project throughthe openings 4 in the tops 2 of the longitudinal channels 3, carrylooking washers 17, and nuts 18 are threaded onto the lower ends of thebolts, to hold the plates .5, the lugs 7 and the transverse channels 11on the longitudinal channels 1, the nuts 18 being housed between thedepending flanges 3 of the longitudinal channels 1.

The device forming the subject matter of this application will possessgreat strength, even though made out of comparatively light stock. Forinstance, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that since themembers 1 and 11 are the shape of channels having depending flanges, adistortion of the screen will be brought about only with the greatestdifficulty. Because the ends of the plates 5 abut, as shown at 6, theplates will not tend to twist on the bolts 15. The downwardly convergingflanges 12 of the channels 11, coacting with the downwardly convergingfaces 8 of the lugs 7, serve to limit the upward movement of thetransverse channels 11 with respect to the longitudinal channels 1.Further, because the burs 14 are engaged in the seats or recesses 10,the transverse channels 11 will have an unusually strong hold on thelugs 7 when the bolts 15 are in place.

The screen forming the subject matter of this application has been shownas of small size, in order that the parts may appear on a large scale inthe drawings. It will be understood, however, that the longitudinalchannels 1 and the transverse channels 11 may be of any desired length,and that there may be as many of the channels 1 and 11 as is consideredexpedient or necessary, depending upon the ize which the completedscreen is to have.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a screenfor fruit grading machines, longitudinal members; plates superposed onsaid members and having their ends in abutment, the plates havingupstanding lugs provided with downwardly converging side faces, the lugsand the plates having openings therethrough, there being enlargedrecesses in the lugs at the upper ends of the openings; transversechannels supported on the lugs and including downwardly convergingflanges engaging the downwardly converging faces of the lugs, thetransverse channels being provided in their tops with depending bursengaged in the recesses; bolts passing through the openings and throughthe longitudinal members and having heads fitting in the burs; and nutsmounted on the bolts and coacting with the under faces of thelongitudinal members.

2. In a screen for fruit grading machines, longitudinal members; platessuperposed on the longitudinal members and having their ends inabutment, the plates having upstanding lugs, the lugs and the plateshaving openings therethrough, there being enlarged recesses in the lugsat the upper ends of the openings; transverse channels supported on thelugs and including depending flanges engaging the side faces of thelugs, the transverse channels being provided in their tops with bursengaged in the recesses; and securing devices engaging the longitudinalmembers and located in the openings, the securing devices includingheads fitting in the burs.

3. In a screen for fruit grading machines, longitudinal members; lugsmounted on the longitudinal members and provided with downwardlyconverging side faces; transverse channels supported on the lugs andincluding downwardly converging flanges engaging the downwardlyconverging faces of the lugs; and securing devices connecting thelongitudinal members and the transverse channels, the securing devicespassing through the lugs. v

4. In a screen for fruit grading machines, longitudinal members; lugsmounted on the longitudinal members and provided with openings, the lugshaving enlarged recesses at the upper ends of the openings; transversechannels supported on the lugs and provided with burs engaged in therecesses; and securing devices passing through the openings and engagingthe longitudinal members, the securing devices having heads fitting inthe burs.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAMON R. 'II-IROOP.

Witnesses W. B. LILLY, J. R. SHARPE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of IPatents, Washington, D. G.

